


The Chronicles of Gondor

by Ihaveacoolusername



Series: Songs of the Anduin [1]
Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Dwarves, Elves, Experimental Style, Gen, LOTR lore, Obscure Lore References, kind of a written let's play, unique format, video game based
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 02:49:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10755180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ihaveacoolusername/pseuds/Ihaveacoolusername
Summary: Duinlir, a young man of Gondor, has recently been promoted to the Head Scribe of Minas Tirith twenty nine years after Sauron returns to Mordor. As Sauron grows in power and begins to make war upon the West, Duinlir gives a first hand account of the War of the Ring. In the Chronicles of Gondor he records the events as Gondor and some of the main characters battle for the fate of all of Middle-Earth.





	The Chronicles of Gondor

**Author's Note:**

> Before we begin, allow me to explain the story. This is based on a true story, in a way. For the game Medieval II Total War there is a complete overhaul mod called Third Age Total War, which converts the entire game to the Lord of the Rings, map, units, factions and all. I played a campaign as Gondor and recorded all the various battles and events as they occurred and as though I were a scribe in Minas Tirith. Practically everything that happens in this story actually happened in the campaign, with a few exceptions for the sake of making a good story. If you have never played the game, looking it up on youtube may help you visualize the story and understand how everything functions. I'll occasionally make comments about the game side of the story, but they're not important to the plot in any way so you can skip over them. If you're reading this on a computer, I suggest narrowing the window to a more book-like ratio so the entries don't look super small and drawn out. Lastly, the dates are mostly there because they fit the theme. They don't make a lot of sense and certainly don't match the lore, so just ignore them. Please leave feedback and feel free to point out any continuity or grammar errors I've made. Enjoy the story!

The Chronicles of Gondor

I am Duinlir, newly appointed head scribe of Minas Tirith, the Tower of Guard, capital of the mighty kingdom of Gondor. It is the year 2980 of the Third Age of Middle-Earth, and Lord Denethor II is steward. Though I am honored by this position, I wish it were not so dark a time of which I write. Despite this, I will endeavor here to make a accurate record of the major events in the realm of Gondor and beyond.  
Twenty-nine years ago, after nearly three millennia, the Dark Lord returned to the land of Mordor and rebuilt Barad-Dûr. The Shadow rises once again in the East, and his Eye is focused upon us. His power grows, and all east of the Great River Anduin lies under his shadow. The forces of darkness gather to the call of the Lord of Mordor, and his stroke will fall ere long.  
This is the situation of Gondor as it now stands: Our dominion stretches from Osgiliath on the river Anduin to Annulond at the very western edge of Middle-Earth. Boromir and Faramir, the sons of Denethor, defend the western side of Osgiliath with the largest force in Gondor except for the garrison of Minas Tirith itself. The Southrons of Harad and the Easterlings of Rhûn have allied themselves with the Enemy as they did long ago. All our efforts now are turned wholly to the defense of the Anduin; with the forces we have mustered so far we lack the strength to strike into Ithilien or Harandor, the former being in the hands of Mordor and the latter fallen long since into the hands of the Southrons while the armies of Mordor have held our attention.  
Steward Denethor II, son of Ecthelion, is a mighty lord, proud and far-seeing like the Númenóreans of old. Indeed, the blood of Númenor runs nearly true in him, and he is more royal a man than any king left in the world. His sons are brave and strong, great captains both. Lord Boromir, heir to Denethor, is High Warden of the White Tower and a man to match his namesake whom even the Witch-King of Angmar feared, while Faramir, four years his younger, is captain of the Ithilien Rangers, an elite force that dwells in Ithilien, harassing the enemy and reminding them that the Lord of Barad-Dur cannot protect them from our fury.  
Though hope seems scarce, the men of Gondor will never submit to his will. Minas Tirith, the White City, great bastion of the West, stands against him as ever. We too gather our forces, and have already struck back at the Enemy, with the sons of Denethor retaking the western half of Osgiliath. These are dark and bloody days, but have ever the men of Gondor failed to hold back the darkness? We know war, and will not be easily be beaten down. 

2980 TA: Happy news in these evil days. Faramir has wedded to the Lady Minuialiel. She is a beautiful woman, and Faramir loves her dearly. May their marriage been long and happy, untroubled in these troubled times.

OOC: There were a ton of marriages and children being born. I tried to keep up at first but before long there were just too many and I only mentioned them if they involved extremely important characters like Boromir.

2980: A rider of Rohan arrived two weeks ago, bringing word that King Thengil of Rohan died peacefully in his sleep. Thengil had already been laid to rest alongside the past kings of his royal line, but the rider invited Steward Denethor to the coronation of Prince Theoden, Thengil’s only son. Denethor was busy with matters of defending the realm, but he and Thengil had been dear friends, so he set his duties aside for a short while to attend the coronation. Kindly, he invited me to come with him, and I accepted, for I had not been to Rohan in some years.  
We rode out from the White City the next day. On the fourth day of our journey, we reached the Edoras, the chief city of the Riddermark, where the kings of Rohan ruled from Meduseld, the Golden Hall. As the heralds announced our approach, I saw that already simbelmynë was beginning to grow upon the burial mound of Thengil, as it always does upon the mounds of the kings of Rohan.  
The next morning, as the sun rose over Rohan, Theoden knelt before Meduseld as Steward Denethor named him the seventeenth King of the Mark, and bestowed on him Herugrim, the sword of the kings, for all to see. Some whispered at this; they did not think it right for the Steward of Gondor to coronate their new king. But Theoden had spent several years in Gondor when he was younger, and knew Denethor well. Thus he allowed the Steward to perform the ceremony rather than a lord of Rohan.  
After the coronation was finished, the party began. People say many things about the Rohirrim, but none can say that they do not know how to celebrate. We stayed at Edoras for six days, feasting, singing, and racing. I have not seen Denethor in such a good mood for years, and I greatly enjoyed myself as well. But we could not stay; Gondor needs its Steward. So we returned to Minas Tirith, and I dreamed of feasting in the Golden Hall.

2980 TA: General Aroddir moved with several hundred men to the ancient fortress of Cair Andros, the great citadel that watches over the river Anduin. In days of old it was of infinite importance in holding the river against the legions of Mordor. It fell into disrepair long ago, but under General Aroddir’s care it will be refortified and take up its ancient duty once again. Aroddir’s force is far from a mighty army, but the Fountain Guard march with him, and they are the finest men in Gondor, if not all of Middle Earth. 

2981 TA: Alas! The news is grim this day. Not long after Aroddir went to Cair Andros, a strong force came from Mordor and assaulted the citadel. Every last man was slain, including brave Aroddir and all of the Fountain Guard. This news came but a day after Prince Imrahil's wedding to Lady Baraiel, and all our celebration has turned to ash. 

2982 TA: The sons of Denethor have struck back, avenging the deaths of our men at Cair Andros. Captain-General Boromir and Lord Faramir crossed the river and reclaimed the eastern side of Osgiliath, slaying the orcs that resided there. Noruiniven, a young lord stationed in Osgiliath showed his mettle by slaying the enemy war-chief and his bodyguard of uruks. All the people of Gondor hope that they may continue to hold it against the storm of Mordor.

2982 TA: Lord Boromir has married the lady Calaerwin. She is a proud and beautiful woman from a noble family of high standing, worthy to be the wife of Lord Boromir. May the Valar smile upon their union and may they produce a strong heir for Gondor.

2982 TA: A truly happy occasion this day. Prince Imrahil’s wife Lady Baraiel has given birth to a son named Arranel. He is a lucky boy to have such a father as Imrahil, and will no doubt be a great leader to the people of Dor-en-Ernil (Translation: Land of the Prince, refers to territory under the control of the prince of Dol Amroth).

2982 TA: A small force of orcs somehow slipped past the Rammas Echor unnoticed. But as they attempted to cross the Pelennor Fields on the night, they were discovered and the alarm was raised. Lord Arodion led a force out from the city and surrounded the orcs, crushing them utterly with few losses.

2982 TA: On this chilly autumn day, the wife of Boromir, Lady Calaerwin has borne a son, Arthdor. The whole realm celebrates, greeting the future steward. No greater father could this child hope to have than the mighty Boromir, greatest captain of Gondor. He will be a strong steward someday, a captain revered by his people and feared by his enemies, like his father.

2985 TA: Our old foes, the Southrons of Harad, have reared their ugly heads once again. Arriving unseen by ship, a force of Haradrim captured Linhir, a town near the mouths of the Anduin, which held only a small garrison. The city surrendered after the Haradrim promised not to harm them if they lay down their arms. Thankfully, and surprisingly, the Southrons kept their word. The garrison was spared and the people of Linhir have not been harmed.

2985 TA: The Enemy grows either bold or foolish. Another army of orcs made it past Rammas Echor, presumably coming across the Great River at Cair Andros, and actually attempted to assault Minas Tirith itself. The orcs managed to scale the walls with their ladders, but nearly a third fell to Gondorian arrows before even getting that far. Those that made it to the walls were slaughtered easily, and all that attempted to flee were cut down by our riders. Though it was a sound victory with few casualties, Lord Arodion was slain. He died well, as he slew the enemy captain but was then himself surrounded and cut down.

2985 TA: Boromir and Calaerwin have had a second son, this one by the name of Nirorn. The older boy, Arthdor, is becoming an intelligent young lad. He shows much interest in the ways of war. Or at least he likes the swords.

2986 TA: Excellent news from the West has just reached Minas Tirith. After capturing Linhir, the Southrons left only a small garrison behind and moved the rest of their army north and laid siege to Arnach. A Gondorian army led by Lord Anborn of Tarnost retook Linhir and then went on a forced march north and defeated the rest of the Southron army. Lord Forlong joined Lord Anborn in the field, and together they defeated the Haradrim with few losses. The Southron prisoners were successfully ransomed.

2987 TA: Another triumph. The sons of Denethor assaulted and utterly vanquished an orc legion from Mordor that had been camped outside East Osgiliath. In addition to the many orcs they slaughtered, two war-chiefs of the enemy were slain.

2988 TA: A stunning victory was won in Linhir three days ago. General Naeron, who took upon himself the defense of Linhir, and a hundred inexperienced militia men somehow managed to hold Linhir against more than a thousand Haradrim. Naeron himself daringly rode outside the walls with his knights, repeatedly charging the Southrons who pushed the battering ram, preventing them from breaking through the gate while the defenders poured down every arrow they could. By the end, every Southron lay dead and only Naeron, one of his knights, and two of the militia men still stood. Such a battle will live on in legend for generations.

OOC: This battle was genuinely the most absurd I had ever fought. My garrison was one general with his bodyguard of like thirty men and a single unit of Gondor Militia with a little over 100 men against over 1000 Southrons. I didn't imagine in my wildest dreams that I might actually win, but I wanted to kill as many as possible to make it easier to reclaim the city later. I placed my militia at the front gate to keep the arrow towers firing while I had Naeron and his bodyguard charge the Southrons that were pushing the battering ram over and over, pulling out every time before more came to stop them, all the way praying that some incredible glitch would save me. Lo and behold, the men pushing the ram got screwed up somehow and started pushing it about half a mile an hour in the wrong direction. Without the ram the Southrons had no way to get in, and since the AI has the tactical skill of a brick the just sat outside the walls getting shot by the arrow towers. Unfortunately, these arrow towers were very inaccurate and didn't do much damage, so I left the game on x6 speed for like half an hour. I went and made a sandwich and ate it while watching the arrows miss. Eventually, there weren't any left inside the range of the towers, so I had to use my general, now with like 4 men left,  
to bait them in closer. Eventually nothing was left except the broken idiots pushing the ram, a unit of corsairs. I charged my militia out to face them and used what was left of my general's bodyguard to cycle charge the rear of the enemy, but my militia were too crappy. I was forced to retreat, now with only two bodyguard including the general himself and two militia men. What was left of the Southrons would chase my men if they went out side the walls, but as soon as I brought them back in the corsairs would walk back towards their beloved ram. So I was forced to run my general out to bait them, run back in, wait until they turned around to go to their ram, and then use my general to charge them in the rear. I only had 2 bodyguard left and there were about forty corsairs left, so this took a long time. I have never seen another battle so long in any Total War game. Now, I always make sure to turn on time limits for battles when I start a campaign. I will not make that mistake again.

2988 TA: Lady Calaerwin has given birth to a third son named Mistion. His brothers, Arthdor and Nirorn, are now five and two. I have had the great honor to be Arthdor’s tutor. He is smart, eager to learn, and greatly excited to some day be steward. Unfortunately, he has seen his father little. Boromir has been in East Osgiliath with his brother for some time now, battling back the forces of Mordor. May the Valar protect him, the High Warden of the White Tower and greatest defender of our people.

2988 TA: The valor of the sons of Denethor has been proven once more. More than three thousands of orcs from Mordor assaulted the eastern side of Osgiliath and were repelled with terrible loss on the side of the enemy and little on our own. While they have successfully defended it multiple times, Boromir and Faramir have decided that eastern side is not defensible enough. As such, they have withdrawn two thirds of their men back to the western shore, where they stand a far better chance of defending against any more hosts sent by the Enemy.

2988 TA: For the third time in as many years, the Haradrim laid siege to Linhir. This time, the town held a strong garrison commanded by the generals Naeron and Anborn. Anborn rode out and laid low the Southron captain while the rest of the garrison held the gate. The enemy never broke the line, and all the Haradrim were killed or captured. The Southrons refused our ransom offer, so the prisoners were executed. Regrettable, in my humble opinion, but such is the way of war.

2989 TA: The garrison that was left in East Osgiliath was overwhelmed by a orc host from Minas Morgul. The Enemy once again controls all east of the River Anduin, and the shadow over the land grows deeper.

2989 TA: The fame of Naeron and Anborn grows with every victory. Another Southron horde assaulted Linhir, and the men of Gondor threw them back with even fewer losses than the last two times. The majority of the Southrons were slain or captured, but a small portion of their army escaped, including the war-chief, a vile and brutal man named Musad. Perhaps if he can be captured or killed the attacks will end.

2990 TA: It has been ten years since I became the Head Scribe of Minas Tirith. Ten long years, full of bitter war and strife. We have lost many brave young men like Arodion and Aroddir. But these years have also been filled with great victory and joyous occasions, like the births of Boromir’s children or the unbelievable defenses of Naeron and Anborn. Our armies grow in strength, and our territory increases. Lord Egalmoth, one of the most promising young commanders in Gondor, now marches to retake Cair Andros, which has been in the hands of the enemy for years, allowing them to enter our lands unchallenged. He is a skilled commander at the head of an equally skilled army. Our men should have little difficulty taking and holding the citadel. My only concern is that the man is known to have a short temper, which can be disastrous when commanding a battle.

OOC: Egalmoth, completely unplanned, went on to become the second most important "original" character to the story after Duinlir himself. He was an incredible general, and my favorite from any Total War campaign I've ever played. 

2990 TA: Lord Egalmoth’s campaign goes well. He has reached Cair Andros, finding and slaying roving bands of orcs along the way. His report says that fortress holds a large garrison, but not enough for him to be worried, which is exactly what worries me.

2991 TA: Lord Egalmoth is successful. Cair Andros is returned to Gondor, and two strong armies hold the Great River against the Enemy. The men of Gondor took the walls and slaughtering the orcs and the enemy war-chief. Perhaps the Valar hear our prayers, and are guiding us towards glory and victory. If so, may they continue to do so. Now that the enemy cannot cross the river Anduin, or will at least have more trouble doing so, we may even make our own advances to take back Ithilien. 

2991 TA: Lord Boromir has judged Osgiliath safe enough and returned to the city. With him it seems life itself has returned to Minas Tirith. The city has been in a state of dreariness for some time now, but now people feast and dance in the streets. None were so joyous at his return, however, as Boromir’s children, who have rarely been able to see him. Lady Calaerwin visited him in Osgiliath fairly often, thus the three children, but the children themselves are usually kept at Minas Tirith. He will be staying here for some time, to take better care of them, and help in the governance of the city. His father, Lord Denethor, has been growing strange these past few years. He is paranoid, terrified of Mordor, and shows disdain for nearly everyone but Boromir. The people sometimes refer to him as “Denethor the Mad”, but I still love him as a brother. To be truthful, I have on occasions seen strange flashes of light shining from the Tower of Ecthelion, though I cannot tell the cause or meaning of such occurrences.

2992 TA: Faramir crossed the Great River to the eastern side of Osgiliath in a surprise raid and slew the orcs there. He and his men burned the filthy constructions of the orcs and fled back to the other side of the river, leaving nothing behind.

2992 TA: Boromir and Calaerwin now have a daughter by the name of Ningaervis. May she have the strength and beauty of her mother, and the bravery and nobility of her father.

2992 TA: Once again the Haradrim have besieged Linhir, and once again the skill of Naeron and Anborn has thrown them back with great slaughter. This time, the Haradrim agreed to our ransom, and the few Southrons that Naeron captured were freed.

2992 TA: Lord Egalmoth successfully defended Cair Andros in the largest battle in many years. A great host from Mordor of many orcs and trolls broke down the gate and much of the walls, but the valiant men of Gondor, outnumbered more than two to one, held them back and slew the trolls. Many orcs were captured and immediately executed. Few escaped the wrath of Egalmoth, who has proven himself worthy of the rank of General. He has now grown somewhat famous for his rage and strength in battle, leading his men to call him “Egalmoth the Wrathful.” 

2993 TA: It seems Linhir is a fortress to rival Minas Tirith, despite its wooden walls and militia defenders. The Southrons assaulted Linhir for the fifth time, only to be soundly beaten by Naeron and Anborn. Unfortunately, Musad, the war-chief who leads these attacks has proved difficult to capture, and still evades capture.

2993 TA: Discovering another Haradrim army marching towards Linhir, Naeron and Anborn marched out into the field to confront them. The enemy force was strong, but our line held. As the enemy infantry was held in place, the Gondorian cavalry moved freely, riding down Southrons all across the field of battle. There was great loss on both sides, but the Haradrim were slain to a man. Musad was finally slain along with all his Serpent Guard.

2994 TA: Dark news comes from the east this day. The Lord of Barad-Dûr has called on all the powers of darkness in Middle-Earth to assault Minas Tirith. Soon, all the might of Mordor will be marching upon us, and I fear greatly. The garrisons at Osgiliath and Cair Andros are strong, but will they be strong enough to stop all that will be sent against them? To the north, our allies the Rohirrim may protect us from any evil that comes to strike at us, but to the south there is nothing between Harad and the White City. May Manwë protect us, and Tulkas give us strength.

OOC: Unfortunately, due to the set up of the map, Mordor could easily get armies across the Anduin to attack Minas Tirith even though I held Osgiliath, Cair Andros, and Linhir, which should guard the crossings.

2994 TA: A great call to arms has gone out across Gondor, and armies gather throughout the realm to come to our aid. Lord Faramir has returned to Minas Tirith, and Prince Imrahil is on his way here now. No enemy hosts have been seen as of yet, but they will come.

2995 TA: The beacons of Gondor are alight, the first host of Mordor has been spotted. It is many thousands strong, and led by one of the Nazgûl. Many soldiers have come to the city, but the mustering is not yet complete, so Denethor has sent a force to hold them at the Rammas Echor.

2996 TA: Minas Tirith is near full with men ready to die to defend it. The Nazgûl and his host have broken past the men at Rammas Echor, and the enemy is now nearly upon the city. In addition, a second army has been discovered, a massive horde of goblins from the Misty Mountains. The women and children have been evacuated already, though I will stay. Minas Tirith will not fall so long as any man within it draws breathe, including myself. But I am afraid. The whole city is afraid, and rightfully so. Dark clouds of ash from Mount Doom blow in on the eastern winds, bringing with them the piercing cries of the Nazgûl. We have called for aid from the Rohirrim, but if they have sent any spears, they have yet to arrive. No darker days have been seen in Gondor in the living memory of men, and I pray that our courage and valor will be enough to hold back the storm. If Minas Tirith falls, all of Gondor will follow. And without Gondor, all of Middle-Earth will soon fall under the dominion of the Red Eye.

2996 TA: The Siege of Gondor has begun. Two great hosts have surrounded the city, and all hope seems lost. Even with the force inside the city, it seems almost impossible that we could withstand such numbers. Men hope desperately for aid to come from Rohan, for if they do not come all may soon be lost.

2997 TA: This day has seen the most glorious victories in centuries! The Nazgûl assaulted the city, but the goblin horde did not arrive in time to aid them. The legions of darkness broke down the gates and flooded onto the walls, but the men of Gondor held them back. Men fled before the terrible cries of the Nazgûl, but Boromir stood strong and faced it in single combat. I watched in awe as he traded blows with the ringwraith, their swords moving so fast all I could see was a blur. The Nazgûl was too strong for Boromir, who was driven to his knees. As the sword spun from his hand and the wraith prepared its deathblow, Faramir fired and arrow and struck it squarely in the back. The thing did not die, but it did halt, giving Boromir enough time to draw his dagger and drive it into the Nazgûl’s chest. The fall of the ringwraith struck fear into the hearts of the orcs, and they were cut down as they ran. Praise be to Manwë and all the Valar, and glory be to the brave men of Gondor! 

2998 TA: Minas Tirith has been besieged once more, but this time by orcs from the mountain of Gundabad far to the north, joined by their kin from the Misty Mountains. While these are more numerous than the host that from Mordor, they are of a weaker breed. The men of Gondor are now confident in their defense after the destruction of the Nazgûl and his host, and believe that we will defeat the goblins should they be foolish enough to assault the walls.  
Naeron has defeated yet another Southron army and Egalmoth has slain many orcs east of Cair Andros in Ithilien. These are dark times, yes, but perhaps the power of Gondor is stronger than we once thought.

2998 TA: Both armies of goblins assaulted the walls in the night, and both were annihilated. There was great loss on all sides, and the battle lasted well into the morning, but our defenders held them at the walls. Such a grand triumph should show that we are not to be trifled with. An assault upon Minas Tirith is not a thing to be taken lightly.

2998 TA: Arthdor and Arranel, first born sons of of Boromir and Prince Imrahil respectively, have both come of age. I have personally tutored both, and can vouch for their strength and intelligence. Arranel shows great promise in commanding troops, and Arthdor is a skilled warrior with a deep hatred of Mordor that will give him no fear to fight the hosts of the Enemy.

2999 TA: Another army approaches Gondor in hopes of taking the White City, a force of Easterlings of Rhûn. Their army is not nearly as numerous as the orcs hosts that came in the winter, and their men are poorly trained and equipped. It seems this dark crusade called by the Enemy is on its last legs.  
General Egalmoth held Cair Andros against another strong host from Mordor of many trolls and uruks. Though all the enemy were destroyed, more than half of Egalmoth’s force fell in the siege. We must send troops there soon so that we may to continue holding the Anduin.

2999 TA: The army marched out from Minas Tirith and soundly defeated the Easterlings. The prisoners were released in an attempt to improve relations with Rhûn, a wise decision from Lord Faramir. Now that the hosts of armies sent against us are defeated and our military is building strength across the realm, we are planning the mobilization of our armies to strike across the river at Mordor and perhaps Harad. And soon, we will begin the training of a new unit of the Fountain Guard, once the most prestigious military unit in Gondor. Unfortunately, all the Fountain Guard were slain at the siege of Cair Andros in the year 2981 TA under General Aroddir. Now, after all these years, these shining warriors will be protecting Minas Tirith once again.

3000 TA: A new millennium has begun, and today is the twentieth anniversary of my becoming high scribe. But there has been a much more important event than either of these things. A man of the northern Dúnedain has arrived in Gondor. He calls himself Aragorn, son of Arathorn. He claims to be the heir of Isildur. If this is true, then he may have a claim to the throne of Gondor, which has been empty for nearly a thousand years since King Eärnur. He has not asserted that he should be the rightful king, though many of the people call him so. Instead, he has merely offered his service to Gondor. Lord Denethor is angered, but we have come to accept that he is no longer in his right mind, and he while he still commands great respect, he commands little else. Lord Faramir, who has been doing most of the governing these past few years, decided to accept Aragorn’s offer of service, and the man has been made a General of Gondor. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to talk to him. He is a marvelous man, and by all reports did impressively well as chieftain of the northern Dúnedain, holding back the orcs of Angmar and Gundabad from the peaceful lands of Eriador. He even claimed that he was raised in Imladris by Elrond himself. Who can tell what his coming will mean in the time ahead? I, for one, am excited to find out.

OOC: I honestly didn't know that Aragorn appeared at the year 3000 for Gondor. This was not part of my plan for the story, but it worked out beautifully.

3001 TA: Lord Boromir’s second son, Nirorn, has come of age, and Prince Imrahil’s son Arranel has been wed to the Lady Rivornwen.

3001 TA: The Enemy has called off his invasion, apparently angered that all the forces sent against us could not lay low the men of Gondor. Now that it is over, we have a brief respite to recover and gather forces of our own. Boromir and his son are building an army in Pelargir to strike into Ithilien, while Aragorn and Faramir have already begun to march northward. Recently they encountered a force of more than two thousand uruks, and defeated them with well under a hundred casualties to his own army. His skill for command is undeniable. 

3001 TA: An orc-legion out of Minas Morgul is moving towards Cair Andros. The garrison at the fortress is depleted, but Egalmoth has proven before that he can defend against great odds. I am only worried that fear of the ring-wraith may be too much for he and his men to withstand.

3002 TA: Egalmoth skillfully defeated the host from Mordor, but the Nazgûl and much of its force escaped. Aragorn is currently pursuing a army from Mordor that seems to be marching towards Minas Tirith. The invasion force being built in Pelargir is nearly prepared, and will soon march into Ithilien to bring the fight to the enemy.

3002 TA: The orcs that Aragorn were pursuing were not marching to Minas Tirith, but to western Osgiliath, where they meant to aid a second host that is preparing to assault it from the east. He crushed them utterly, he and his bodyguard slaying more orcs than any others in his army.

3003 TA: Lord Boromir’s youngest son Mistion has come of age. Like his brothers, he shows great promise as a commander and governor. Boromir’s army is now on the march to take Emyn Arnen, an old fort that commands a strong position over the roads that pass through Ithilien. The orc legion that was besieging western Osgiliath has abandoned the siege and moved north for reasons unknown.

3003 TA: Before Boromir assaulted Emyn Arnen, many small orc bands converged on him. His army took heavy casualties, but the orcs were annihilated. Boromir’s son Arthdor saw his first major battle and performed well, bringing down the trolls that operated the enemy catapults. The garrison of Emyn Arnen took part in the battle and was defeated, so Boromir then took the town unchallenged.

3005 TA: Boromir was besieged at Emyn Arnen by a large army of Southrons. Though outnumbered, his men held valiantly and defeated the Haradrim. Many prisoners were taken, but the Southrons refused the ransom and the prisoners were executed.

3006 TA: General Egalmoth boldly tracked the Nazgûl that attacked Cair Andros into Ithilien. He found the ring-wraith and its army at Henneth Annûn, the sacred Window of Sunset. For any other than a man of Gondor, the penalty of looking upon the Window and the Forbidden Pool is death. So it was for the orcs and the Nazgûl that foolishly sought refuge there. Now two of the Nine are fallen and the Rangers of Ithilien have another foothold from which to ambush the enemy and remind them that the power of Gondor does not end at the Great River.  
Near Nindalf, Aragorn and Faramir defeated a great host of orcs in the largest field battle since the famed battle of five armies far to the north. Some seven thousand orcs were destroyed, as well as many Olog-hai, the great armored trolls of Mordor. In payment, a thousand soldiers of Gondor gave their lives for their people.

3006 TA: Linhir was besieged by an army of Harad again. This time, rather than assaulting the city, the Southrons were content to wait out the defenders. Troops were sent from Tarnost to break the siege, but upon arriving they discovered that Naeron the Brave had already ridden out and defeated the enemy, slaying their war-chief and his Serpent Guard. Seeing how important Linhir has become as a defensive position on the mouths of the Anduin, Steward Denethor has sent professional forces to help defend it, and has ordered that stone walls be for the city to discourage further attacks.

3007 TA: Emyn Arnen, Boromir and Arthdor within it, was surrounded by Southrons. Rather than waitings for the Southrons to attack, Boromir sallied out. They swept away the besieging forces before enemy reinforcements could arrive, and then set up an ambush and crushed the unsuspecting reinforcement army, taking many prisoners. The southrons did not accept the offer of ransom, so the prisoners were executed.  
In the north, Aragorn and Faramir march north across the Dagorlad, riding down small bands of uruks as they go. I have recently learned that the objective of their campaign is Dol Guldur in Mirkwood, where the Enemy hid under the guise of the Necromancer. The White Council drove him out from there decades ago, but the fortress remains, and from it great armies of orcs strike out across Rhovanion, causing mayhem and death.

3008 TA: Lord Noruiniven has crossed the river and destroyed the small garrison of uruks in east Osgiliath, claiming it for Gondor. This time, Noruiniven intends to hold it, rather than abandon it for the enemy to reclaim immediately afterwards, as he has done several times before.

3008 TA: The Dark Lord has called a second time for all the forces of darkness in Middle-Earth to bring Minas Tirith, and thus all of Middle-Earth, under his dominion. The Haradrim have been the first to respond, sending Warlord Qusay, the heir to the Chieftain of Harad, with a mighty host. Luckily, the Southrons have with them none of the fearsome mûmakil, and their force is not strong enough to take the city alone. 

3008 TA: Aragorn and Faramir captured an orc encampment near the Dagorlad called Malgalad, which has been under the control of Mordor for many years. They will hold there for the winter before continuing to Mirkwood.

3009 TA: Lord Arthdor, first born son of Boromir, has been wed this day to the lady Norindes. May their marriage be as loving and prosperous as that of Arthdor’s father and mother. There is much rejoicing across the realm, and I have attended several banquets to celebrate the occasion. With all the victory and joy and the arrival of the heir of Isildur, it almost seems as though Gondor is returning to the great days of old, when the blood of Númenor ran strong in our veins.

3009 TA: Malgalad has been given to the Rohirrim as a gift, partially as a show of friendship and partially in the hopes that this new territory will bring them more fully into the ongoing conflict against Mordor.

3010 TA: Many armies have responded to the Dark Lord’s call. Scouts have reported great host approaching from north and south, from Rhûn, Harad, and Gundabad. Thus, many of our own forces have been recalled from the front to protect the city, including Aragorn and the sons of Denethor. Soon, there will be no less than seven armies in or around Minas Tirith, and I have heard rumors of three more still far off. Should all the armies clash at once, it would be the largest battle of the Third Age. It is strange, then, that there are no armies from coming from Mordor itself, so far as we have heard.  
On an unrelated note, it has been 30 years since I came into the position of head scribe, but that is of little concern in comparrison to current happenings.

3011 TA: There has been constant battle upon the Pelennor Fields this winter. The captains of Gondor thought it wise to defeat the enemy in detail, fighting them separately before they could unite their armies. First, Boromir and the garrison of the city crushed one of the armies of orcs from Gundabad. A short time later, Aragorn, Faramir, and Egalmoth destroyed the other host of Gundabad. Most recently, Aragorn, Faramir, Egalmoth, and Lord Boromir all joined together and defeated the two hosts of Rhûn. In all three battles, the enemy were slain by the thousands and their generals cut down. Now, the only enemies remaining around the White City are three mighty hosts of Southrons. May the arms of our men and the skill of our captains bring us victory as they have over the other foes that dared to march upon the lands of Gondor.

3011 TA: The War of Ten Armies, as it has been named, is done. The magnificent captains of Gondor, Boromir, Faramir, Egalmoth, and most skilled of all Aragorn, have defeated the Southrons utterly and slain Warlord Qusay, leaving no enemies anywhere within our borders. Doubtless more will come, but they will face the finest captains in Middle-Earth.

OOC: This part may sound like I made it up, but it all happened. There were literally ten armies, most of them full size, gathered in and around Minas Tirith. The battles were massive and glorious, usually with more than 8000 men taking part, quite large for campaign battles

3012 TA: Prince Imrahil and his son Arranel have landed on the eastern side of the Anduin. After defeating a small force of orcs, they are moving to Emyn Arnen to rescue it from the Southrons that have it under siege. Meanwhile, Aragorn and Boromir have defeated another force of Haradrim moving towards Minas Tirith. If no other good can be said of them, the Southrons are certainly persistent.

3012 TA: Alas! It is a dark day. Henneth Annûn now belongs to the enemy. A host of Mordor, led by another of the Ring-wraiths, assaulted it and slew the rangers of Ithilien that dwelt there. Celephinndir, eldest son of General Egalmoth, fell along side them in combat with the Nazgûl. Though it is grim news, the enemy may have made a grave mistake. Egalmoth the Wrathful he is called, and he has an army in Cair Andros no great distance from where the ring-wraith and its host are now encamped. Many have met their doom by the fury of Captain-General Egalmoth, and now the Nazgûl has slain his son. Soon it may share the fate of the two other Black Riders that have fallen to the blades of Gondor, one by Egalmoth himself.

OOC: This is where Egalmoth started to become an important, unique character. He had been a great general before, but this was an excellent opportunity. His son was killed by a Nazgûl and his title in the game was literally "the Wrathful." There was no way I could pass up an opportunity like that. 

3013 TA: The Lord of Barad-Dur has called off the second invasion against Minas Tirith. All the forces that attempted to do his will have been destroyed.  
Across the Anduin, Prince Imrahil has defeated the southrons attacking Emyn Arnen and is now preparing to assault the eastern half of Osgiliath from behind. Egalmoth the Wrathful has taken nearly the entire garrison of Cair Andros to pursue the Nazgûl, who flees from his righteous fury.

3013 TA: Prince Imrahil has conquered eastern Osgiliath, and in a string of conflicts Egalmoth destroyed the command of the Nazgûl, but the ring-wraith escaped his grasp. He was then forced to flee from a larger army of uruks, and escaped with his army largely intact. He now pursues the Nazgûl once more.

3013 TA: Egalmoth and his son Cammirven have avenged fallen Celephinndir, and a third of the Nine have been slain. Egalmoth pursued the ring-wraith until it sought refuge in Henneth Annûn. Like its brother, the sacred Window of Sunset brought it none. Egalmoth and Cammirven fought the Nazgûl themselves, striking it down together in vengeance. The Nazgûl is defeated, but Egalmoth still rages. His fury against Mordor will last until either he or the Dark Lord himself falls.  
Aragorn and Faramir’s force is now back to full strength, and finally marches north to take Dol Guldur. The Rohirrim roam the Dagorlad, riding down any orcs foolish enough to try to cross the open plain. 

3015 TA: Aragorn and Faramir’s army met with a dwarvish army under the command of Lord Farin of Erebor attempting to take the town of Thoronburg, which was under the control of the Black Hand. As our people are allies, Aragorn and Faramir assisted Farin in taking the town. The orcs were cut down easily, and the dwarves now control it. Rather than pushing onward, the army holds near Thoronburg, as our spies have discovered many orcs and one of the Nazgûl marching north towards Aragorn. There he and Faramir hope to meet the hordes of Mordor together with the dwarves.

3016 TA: Standing side by side with the hale naugrim, Aragorn and Faramir faced the Nazgûl’s might. Shouting “Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!” the dwarves stormed down on the orcs from the rear while Aragorn held the line. Together Aragorn and Lord Farin faced the Nazgûl and destroyed it. Now four of the Nine have fallen, and the world seems a little less dark. 

3016 TA: A host from Mordor assaulted East Osgiliath. Many of the garrison fell, but Noruiniven held valiantly and repelled the orcs.  
In the North, Aragorn and Faramir have made it finally to Mirkwood and are now besieging the dark fortress, Dol Guldur.

3017 TA: Aragorn and Faramir are successful. Rather than directly assaulting Dol Guldur, they tricked the enemy into coming into the open by attacking a nearby group of orcs. When the orcs attempted to aid the small group, they were cut off from the fortress and destroyed. Since Dol Guldur then had no garrison force, Aragorn and Faramir entered it unchallenged. They have thrown down the foul constructions of the orcs, and plan to hand over the tower to the elves of the Woodland Realm, to whom the place rightfully belongs, and are some of the only ones who can cleanse the tower of its corruption and lay bare its dark pits.

3017 TA: The past few years have seen many naval skirmishes against the Southrons. The majority have been victories, since our fleets are larger and more powerful than the scattered corsair ships that have been roaming the Bay of Belfalas.

3018 TA: Lord Aragorn has renamed Dol Guldur to it’s original name, Amon Lanc, as in the days when it was the capital of the elves of Mirkwood, and returned it to them. Perhaps the elves may eventually return it to its days of glory.

3019 TA: Aragorn and Faramir, on their way back to Gondor, met with an army of Rohan which was besieging Malgalad. Some time ago, the orcs captured it, but now our combined forces have reclaimed it for the Mark. 

3019 TA: A rider of the Mark came to Minas Tirith bearing terrible news. Saruman the White, Istari and head of the White Council has betrayed all the Free-Peoples of Middle Earth, and has joined with the Lord of Barad-Dûr. In Isengard Saruman built a vast army, creating a terrifying new breed of orc called the uruk-hai. They are taller and stronger than even the uruks of Mordor, and do not fear the light of the sun as other orcs do. The armies of Saruman swept across the Isen and burned Foldburg to the ground before the men of Rohan even knew what was happening. The Westfold has all but fallen, and even the Hornburg may be assaulted. Saruman has also allied himself with the wild men of Dunland, long-time enemies of Rohan and no friends to Gondor. Lord Boromir immediately began to gather an army of his own to march north to aid the Rohirrim against the traitor Istari. 

OOC: This is the one time that the dates actually did work out. For the purposes of the game, Isengard and Rohan are at war from the start, but by complete coincidence I decided to send Boromir to help Rohan at 3019, the actual year that Saruman attacks Rohan in the books.

3020 TA: It has been forty long, long years, and I am grown old. Only thirty years of the sun was I when I received this position, and now I am seventy. Though what man in Gondor has been greater blessed than I, to be allowed to not only see these incredible times, dark though they may often be, but to also record them? I only hope that I may live to see also the return of peace. If it can be said that Gondor ever had such a thing.

3020: Boromir and his army marched northwards from Minas Tirith and into Rohan, where he joined with Lord Eomer of the Mark, sister-son of King Theoden. Together they mustered the men of the Eastfold and rode down the uruk-hai and Dunlending raiding parties. The Eastfold is safe from the power of Isengard, for now.

3021 TA: We have begun to strike back at the Haradrim. Orodreth the Just, lord of Pelargir, sailed down the Anduin and captured Gobel Tolfalas on the isle of Tolfalas, then moved quickly south and captured the city of Barad Harn in Harandor before the Southrons were able to react. He and his army now rest in Barad Harn and await reinforcements.

3021 TA: Nirorn, the second son of Boromir, lacks the skill in combat of his brother Arthdor, but has shown that he has a greater talent in commanding men. He was sent south with a strong force to aid Lord Orodreth at Barad Harn, and shortly after leaving his ships, he encountered two armies of Haradrim. Rather than fighting both at once, he struck at night, crushing the larger of the two armies then defeated the smaller army the next day with minimal losses.

3021 TA: Boromir and Eomer rode westward to Edoras, where they met King Theoden and a sizable force protecting the capital. As they planned their strategy against Saruman, a rider came bringing word of a vast army coming out of Isengard. King Theoden desired to retreat to Helm’s Deep and hold out there, but Boromir persuaded him that with Gondor’s aid they had the strength to meet the uruk-hai in open battle. So the armies of Gondor and the Riddermark faced the full power of Isengard and met it head on in the fields west of Edoras. The uruk-hai wore thick armor and brought long pikes and devastating cross-bows, and very nearly won the battle. However, as the battle was beginning to swing heavily in the enemy’s favor, Erkenbrand arrived in true Rohirrim fashion, at the last minute with the men of Rohan that had survived but been scattered after the burning of the Westfold. Sweeping down upon the rear of the orcs, he filled them with terror and they fled, but there was no escape from the wrath of the horse-lords. The riders of Rohan pursued and left not one alive of the great host. Now the path is open to Isengard itself, and Boromir intends to make use of this opportunity.

3022: Originally, Boromir meant to march directly to Isengard itself to defeat the White Wizard, but some rumor reached him, and instead he passed by Nan Curunir and carried on west to Duneard. This was a place of the Dunlendings and under the control of Saruman, so Boromir assaulted it, assisted by both Rohan and a surprising ally: elves of Imladris, led by Elladan son of Elrond. The orcs and Dunlendings were crushed between man and elf, and all were killed. But that is not what is important. There, Lord Boromir discovered something. What is it is known only to Boromir, Denethor, and perhaps Aragorn. Immediately after the thing’s discovery, Lord Boromir immediately called for Aragorn to come to his side. The thing was on its way to Isengard, to Saruman. Even I should not know about this, but I have my own eyes and ears, unknown to Denethor. After all, how else could I know so much of what happens across Gondor and beyond?  
I have been pondering what this mysterious thing might be. I cannot be certain, but one phrase will not leave my head. “Isildur’s bane”. Every child in Gondor knows the name, but none know what it actually is. What could this mysterious thing be, and what could Saruman want with it? Furthermore, what could Boromir possibly want with it? I will go now to the archives, and read the records of my predecessors. Perhaps there I may find some clue. I am one of the few who can now read what was written so long ago, and I have better knowledge of the archives than any other alive. If there is anything to find, I will find it. 

3024 TA: Nirorn and Orodreth have been fighting nearly constantly against the seemingly endless waves of Haradrim, while Faramir has rejoined with the Rangers of Ithilien and remains a deep-stuck thorn in the Enemy’s side.  
Of far more interest, however, a council of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth has been called by Lord Elrond in Imladris. Though I am not certain, I believe the council is regarding this mysterious thing that Boromir has found and that Saruman for some reason desired.  
Pertaining to this, I have read deep into the ancient archives of Minas Tirith, and I believe I have discovered what this thing is. I do wholly believe it now to be Isildur’s bane, but there is more to it than a name. As I searched the countless scrolls, something caught my notice. In the Second Age, the great elvish smiths of Eregion wrought wonderous and magical things. The most potent of these were the Rings of Power. Long ago, before the fall of Númenor, the Dark Lord went amongst the elves in a form fair to look upon under the name of Annatar, Lord of Gifts. He shared with them his knowledge of crafts, and aided them in the creation of the rings. I discovered an ancient rhyme, nearly lost to history, in a tome thousands of years old. It read, 

“Three for the elven-kings under the sky,  
seven for the dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,  
nine for mortal men doomed to die,  
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne.  
One Ring to rule them all; One Ring to find them;  
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.”

Annatar gave the rings as cursed gifts. To men he gave nine, and to the dwarves seven, but the three elven rings were forged by Celebrimbor, King of Eregion and the greatest smith since Feanor, in secret and the Dark Lord had no knowledge of them. But the Enemy also wrought his own secret ring of power, one to command all others. It brought him tremendous power, and corrupted the nine kings of men into Ring-Wraiths. With the One Ring, the Great Enemy nearly spread his shadow across all of Middle-Earth. Only the famed Last Alliance between King Elendil of the Númenóreans and High King Gil-Galad of the Noldor was able to defeat him, and both were slain in the seven year siege of Barad-Dur. Isildur’s bane is the One Ring. It was lost, but never unmade, and now it has been found. Surely Saruman hoped to obtain the ring for himself, so that he might challenge even the Dark Lord. This is matter of the most serious concern. Should the One Ring fall into the hands of the Enemy, no power in Middle-Earth could hope to oppose him.

3025 TA: Grim news from the east this day. The walls of Emyn Arnen were strong, and our men stronger, but neither was enough. A combined army of orcs and Southrons broke through the walls, slew the defenders to a man, and sacked the fortress. Now, armies of the Red Eye gather east of Osgiliath under one of the remaining Nazgûl. But Osgiliath is not Emyn Arnen. There, the men were militia. At Osgiliath, they are experienced professionals. There are Guards of the Citadel, Rangers of Ithilien, and Fountain Guard. General Noruiniven is a skilled and experienced commander, and while the orcs around the city are numerous, they are of a low breed. Even the terrible Nazgûl cannot take Osgiliath alone, and its host is not strong enough to face the men who now hold the city against it.

3026 TA: For centuries, corsairs from the Haven of Umbar far to the south have been the scourge of our coasts. And now they have returned in great force, raiding all along the Bay of Belfalas. Our navy is strong, but cannot always reply to corsair threats quickly enough. The cities on the coast may have to fend for themselves, but I have heard rumor that there may be plans to sail south and take Umbar to put an end to the corsair threat once and for all.

3027 TA: It has been many years since the Enemy marshaled his forces in a concentrated effort to assault the White City. Now, he does so again. Last time, five enormous battles were fought in the Pelennor Fields in what has been called the War of Ten Armies, and the brave generals of Gondor led us to victory. While we still have that strength, Aragorn and Boromir, our most skilled commanders, are away to the council in Imladris (which I hear by my agents has taken place already). I cannot claim that I am not afraid, but I have seen the power of Gondor, and it will take a great force to bring down the Tower of Guard.  
Though I believe that we can hold, there is another source of concern. It is plain that the Enemy would wish to have the One Ring returned to him, as it contains much of his old power. For millennia the ring past almost completely out of knowledge. But if I am correct, which I do believe I am, then it has been found once more. Could the Lord of Mordor be aware of this? Could this be why he has called this invasion, and why his legions gather before Osgiliath? Perhaps he wishes to crush Gondor in one fell swoop before we can do something with the ring, though what uses it could possibly have to mortal men is beyond me. 

3028 TA: Two hosts of Haradrim and a host of orcs from Mordor began to approach Minas Tirith after crossing the mouths of the Anduin. General Egalmoth left Cair Andros and brought a strong force to aid the garrison of the city. The Southrons moved north and attempted to stop him at Rammas Echor, but he broke through and crushed their armies. He then marched south and aided by Nirorn son of Boromir, who arrived just in time to fight alongside Egalmoth, and together they defeated the orc legion. The leaders of the enemy armies scattered, and several war-chiefs of the orcs and southrons have been hunted down and slain.

3029 TA: Strange news has been brought to me this day by way of a kingfisher, luckily one of the types of birds whose speech I can understand. It seems Aragorn and Boromir originally brought with them to Imladris some infantry as an escort. Later, they left them behind to make all possible speed. These men were on their way back to Gondor when they were approached by a group of locals. Never had any seen such a band, near three hundred tall Gondorians in shining armor. The locals told our men of Hoarwell, an encampment on a river of the same name, held by goblins from the Misty Mountains. From here the goblins set out on raids, killing and looting all they came across. Having no actual orders, the Gondorians took it upon themselves to rid the area of this evil. Unbeknownst to them, within said encampment was the Great Goblin himself, chieftain of all the goblins in the Misty Mountains. The Great Goblin stood almost man-high with many guards of similar stature. It was a vicious battle despite the small scale, but the men of Gondor were victorious and slew the chieftain. They also captured the encampment, but the area was riddled with goblins and the position held no use to us, so they abandoned it. Strange news indeed, and most unexpected, but happy. 

3030 TA: Another decade, come and gone. Fifty whole years of the sun I have kept the records of Gondor. Even with my small share of Númenórean blood, seventy-five is no small age. But it is not quite ancient, and it will be a long time still before I roll over and die. After all, how could I possibly depart from the world before seeing the result of these amazing times? The One Ring is found, the king may have returned, and the fate of all Middle-Earth rests on the shoulders of Gondor. It is far too exciting to make dying reasonable.

3030 TA: The siege of Osgiliath is broken. The orcs attempted to attack, but nearly half were slain by arrows and catapults before even reaching the city. When they did reach it, they were cut down by the strong arms of the Gondorians. They fled, and General Noruiniven cut them down in droves during their retreat.

3031 TA: Emyn Arnen has been retaken. A small army of men sailed across the river and snuck through the forest. The foolish orcs had never bothered to repair the wall they broke down in their assault, so the castle was taken quickly and with few losses. 

3032 TA: Not long after Emyn Arnen was retaken, a host of Haradrim led by one of their warlords laid siege to it. Luckily, the garrison rebuilt the walls before they arrived. The siege was long and terrible, and few survived on either side, but the foe was thrown back, and Emyn Arnen is safe for now. Reinforcements from Osgiliath are on their way to support the remaining garrison.

3033 TA: Egalmoth “the Wrathful” is aptly named. His son was avenged many years ago, but his rage against the Nazgûl cannot be sated. He marched courageously against a orc legion of Mordor led by one of the ring-wraiths. He hid his infantry and cavalry in the woods but placed his archers just outside. After a brutal exchange of arrows in which many of the orcs were slain before the battle even began, the hosts of Mordor charged recklessly at Egalmoth. When they did, they were surprised to find ranks upon ranks of Gondorians hidden in the trees. After the infantry clashed, the cavalry swept in on the rear and crushed the orcs from behind.  
Spotting the Nazgûl, Egalmoth’s rage was rekindled, and he, his guards, and the Swan Knights of Dol Amroth pursued it relentlessly. They fell upon the dark thing and slew it and all the Dark Númenóreans that rode beside it. Upon the death-cry of the Black Rider, the whole host of orcs fled away and were destroyed.

3033 TA: An army of orcs from Gundabad came south to respond to the Lord of Barad-Dûr’s call. A small force of Gondorians bravely attempted to hold them at Rammas Echor, but were defeated and forced back to Minas Tirith. However, they did manage to weaken the enemy considerably, and the few prisoners the orcs took were ransomed. When Lord Nirorn fell came up into the Pelennor Fields from the south, he easily destroyed what remained of the orcs and slew their chieftain. Two days later, he met and defeated a large army of Haradrim at the southern pass of the Rammas Echor. Unfortunately, many of the Southrons escaped and fled back south, including their war-chief.

3034 TA: Aragorn and Boromir have returned to Gondor! They landed but a few days ago at Dol Amroth. There Prince Imrahil and a sizable army joined them. They now march east towards Minas Tirith, and with them comes the One Ring. Surely now that it is so close, the Enemy has some notion of what is happening. I know not why they bring the thing closer to Mordor, but perhaps it may serve to aid us against the enemy in some way. I can only speculate at this point. Truly, I do not even have proof that it really is what I think it is, though I am thoroughly convinced.

3034 TA: Nirorn successfully hunted down and killed the Southron war-chief as well as the remainder of the man’s command.  
Far to the south in the sea the young Lord Naerven led a small invasion force and capture the Southron city Erelond on Tol Uialgaer. The size of the city and its close proximity to the Haven of Umbar could make it a valuable staging point for an attack against the Corsairs. 

3034 TA: That which follows is difficult for me to write, but none other witnessed these events as I did, and it is my duty to record such matters, so I will do my best to put them to paper. In one final effort to take Minas Tirith under the command of the Lord of Mordor, three great hosts surrounded the city, one being from Mordor, another from Angmar, and a third from Harad. The garrison of the city was not at full strength, and too weak to hold back the great hordes now arrayed against us. As the foe began their assault, even with the support of Lord Nirorn arriving from the North, all hope seemed lost. I watched helplessly from the peak of the city as the armies of the enemy began battering down the gates and brought up their massive siege towers. Going down to the lower rings to see what aid I might give, I came upon Faramir, who was commanding the defense of the city.  
“Duinlir,” Lord Faramir said to me. “I need you to go find my father. The defense is beginning to waver, and we need him to inspire the men. Go!” Doing as he bid me, I rushed back again to the citadel. Lord Denethor was not in the throne room or his chambers, so I went to the Tower of Ecthelion in hopes that I would find him there. I ascended the steps of the tower, and found him at its peak, staring into the palantír. Indeed the rumors were true that Denethor dared to look into the seeing-stone and wrestle with the Enemy in a battle of minds. Now, his madness made sense to me. The Dark Lord must have shown Denethor the might of Mordor, leaving him insane and paranoid. Hearing me enter, he turned from the palantír.  
“My lord, you are desperately needed at the defense. The bravery of our men is failing, and they fly from the walls,” I told him.  
“Why? Why do they fly?” spat Denethor, suddenly angered. “Better to burn sooner than later, for burn we must. The West has failed. Go back and burn.”  
“What madness is this, Denethor? Thou have always stood against the Shadow. While we still stand, it cannot prevail.”  
“I have seen more than thou could knowest.” Denethor said. “Thy hope is but ignorance. Against the power that arises against us there is no victory, naught that we may do to stop it.”  
“We can fight!” said I. “Thy son Faramir still fights, though thou dost not. Boromir will fight, as will Aragorn and Imrahil. All of Gondor will fight. But they need you, Denethor. Gondor needs you. The west will not fall unless you allow it.”  
“Thou... no. You are right. I have been a fool,” Denethor said. He cast aside his cloak, revealing glittering mail and a long sword. “The Enemy will dominate my mind no longer! Come, let us rally the men.”  
We left the tower, and Denethor called to the Guards of the Citadel who stood ready at the peak of the city. “The fate of the west lies upon our shoulders! Come now, brave men of Gondor, the time for battle is upon us! To the walls! Never will the land of my people fall into enemy hands!”  
Down we went, and as we moved towards the battle we found men who had fled from the walls. Seeing the steward at the head of the shining Citadel Guards, the fire of valor was kindled once again in their hearts. They stopped fleeing, and went with us, cheering and calling the name of Denethor. We came unto the battle to find that the first circle of the city had fallen, and Faramir and his men were hard pressed to hold back the foe. Faramir handed the command to his father, who ordered that we drive the orc scum back from the city and slay them all. The men cheered, and fell upon the orcs with fury like dragon-fire.  
We pushed the orcs back into the first circle, but their numbers began to overwhelm us. Eventually the enemy began to advance once again. Raising his sword and calling to the Guards of the Citadel, Lord Denethor told Faramir to fall back while he and his guards held the rear. Faramir tried to argue, but Denethor was adamant. “I have not been the leader or the father that I should have been. Now I must fight, and if need be, die for my people,” he said. Faramir knelt and kissed his father’s hand, and gave the order to retreat.  
We ran as Denethor commanded. The Steward and the Guards of the Citadel held strong as endless orcs came upon them and fell by the dozen to blade and spear of the mighty steward and his Guards. As they held, we formed a strong defense at the entrance to the second circle and archers on the second wall poured volley after volley into the orcs trying to break past Denethor. Such was the skill of the Citadel Guards that it almost seemed like they would hold against such reckless hate, but then came the trolls. They beat down the valiant Guards with their massive clubs, who in return felled many of the creatures. The greatest of these trolls, a mighty olog-hai, taller and more powerful than any even Faramir had ever seen, seized Denethor and lifted him into the air, crushing him. With a last great effort, Denethor drove his sword into the throat into the throat of the creature. It toppled to the ground, releasing him, but Denethor was broken by its grip. The Guards of the Citadel gathered around the fallen steward, and carried him back to Faramir. Such wrath was in their eyes that the orcs dared not approach them. At his son’s side Denethor gasped out his final words: “Fight on, my son. As long as men such as you still fight, the West will not fail.” Thus died Steward Denethor II, whom I loved as a brother.  
The battle raged on, and despite Denethor’s sacrifice it seemed as though the city was sure to fall. Faramir was badly wounded by an orc, though not fatally, and so I went with him to the House of Healing. As the master of the house treated his wounds, I continued to watch the battle. Every inch the men of Gondor gave was bathed in orcish blood, but it was simply not enough. Then, in the darkest hour of the siege, when men were fleeing and the defense in the second circle began to crumble, aid came.  
Riding in from the south came a vast army of men from every corner of Gondor. Swan Knights from Dol Amroth, hale axemen of Lossarnach, grim archers from the Blackroot Vale, and Pelargir Marines all came to rescue of the Tower of Guard. At the vanguard rode Boromir, Prince Imrahil, and leading them, Aragorn. A bright gem shone upon his brow like a star, and in his hand he held aloft a flowing banner, white tree and silver stars on a field of black, the device of the kings of Gondor. No more glorious sight have I seen in all my years. The horns of Gondor echoed across the plains, terrifying the orcs. They fled the city, but upon the field they met Aragorn and his host. The battle lasted for nearly three more hours, mostly against the fierce Southrons, but the foe was utterly vanquished, all their war-chiefs slain.

OOC: This battle didn't actually happen at all. I just got tired of Denethor because he was old (like 120) and insane, so I threw him in alone at a full army from Mordor. But I couldn't say that's what I did, so I made the Battle of the Pelennor Fields instead. It took a ton of editing, but I'm very happy with what I eventually got it to. At first, I basically just did exactly what happened to Denethor in the book except that I replaced Pippin, Gandalf, and Beregond with Duinlir. I decided that was stupid and scratched it. Then I wondered, what would have happened if Boromir still lived, Faramir was not gravely wounded? What if instead of Gandalf trying to convince Denethor to fight, it had been an old friend? So, I decided that with some urging Denethor would do what needed to be done and sacrifice himself for his people. During their discussion, Duinlir and Denethor switch from "thou" to "you." This is intentional, as Gondorians use formal/informal forms to show respect, and I'm fairly sure that in Gondor, thou is the formal. At the beginning, they speak formally, but it breaks down to a more personal and emotional moment.

3034 TA: Boromir is now reigning steward of Gondor, but he himself and all the people of Minas Tirith call Aragorn king. Though I hoped deep in my heart since Aragorn arrived at the White City, I am not sure I ever truly belived there would ever be a king in Gondor again. Aragorn has refused to be coronated until the threat of Mordor is finally ended, but he has taken the name Elessar, meaning elf-stone, after the gem that shines like a star upon his brow. He and Boromir seem... changed, somehow. They are much closer now than they had been before, but they seem distant, detached. I know little of what happened on their journey.   
Boromir called a council of all lords in the city and myself to discuss what they spoke of at Imladris and decide our course of action. First, though, I spoke with Aragorn. The blade he carried he called Andúril, the Flame of the West, reforged by the smiths of the Noldor in Imladris from the shards of Narsil, ancient blade of High King Elendil. Never before have I seen such a weapon. It shines brightly under the sun and under the moon it glows with cold fury. Its edge is hard and sharper than a razor, and no enemy can withstand it.  
As I suspected, he also brought with him Isildur’s bane, the One Ring. In Imladris at the Council of Elrond, representatives of all the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth met to discuss what is to be done with the ring, and unanimously decided that it must be destroyed. However, the only way of doing so is to return it to where it was forged: Orodruin, in the heart of Mordor. Only by casting the ring into the Crack of Doom can it be unmade. Isildur took the ring from the hand of the Enemy all those years ago, but failed to destroy it, instead taking it for himself. A few lords wished to use the One Ring as a weapon against the Enemy, but Boromir, Aragorn, and myself were vehemently against such a foolish idea. In the end, all present agreed that the destruction of the Ring was the only possible course of action. Thus far we have succeeded in holding back the hordes of Mordor, but their numbers wear away at us, and we cannot last forever. Certainly, we cannot defeat the enemy through force of arms alone.  
Now that the invasion is ended, we must prepare for our own. The armies of Gondor must march to Mordor, break past the Black Gate, and fight their way to Mount Doom. Aragorn carries the ring, and has taken it upon himself to do what his ancestor Isildur failed to do an age ago. A call for aid from all the enemies of the Dark Lord has been sent out across Middle-Earth, for we will need every man who will come and more.  
Such a great event has not occurred since the siege of Barad-Dûr that ended the Second Age. Though it will be immeasurably dangerous, I will not suffer to write only the accounts of others. I will accompany King Ellesar so that I may witness such incredible events first-hand, and perhaps I may even be of some use to him as an advisor.

3035 TA: The eastward invasion is underway. The main force, some ten thousand men led by King Aragorn Ellesar, with which I am traveling, moves due east with Egalmoth’s vanguard, about three and a half thousand men, to regain the ancient city of Isildur, Minas Morgul. Also with the main force are Boromir, Prince Imrahil, and Faramir, who is now fully recovered from his wound during the last siege of Minas Tirith.  
Egalmoth, being some distance ahead of the main force, made it to Osgiliath just in time to meet two orc-legions trying to take the east side of the city. He and General Noruiniven routed the orcs and cleared the Morgul Vale for our advance. 

3036 TA: The Valar are with us! I write this now while sitting in a room in the tower of Minas Morgul. Last night King Elessar and his army assaulted the Black City of the Nazgûl and wrested it from the hands of the Enemy. The battle for the city was long and brutal, lasting the entire day. Strangely, there were none of the Black Riders within the city. Perhaps they knew Egalmoth was near and fled, knowing his reputation. Or perhaps they gather all remaining forces in the heart of Mordor, ready to bring a sudden end to our offensive. Were this invasion for any other reason than to destroy the Ring, I would call it foolish and suicidal. Suicidal it still may be.  
Minas Ithil, city of Isildur, finally lies rightfully in the hands of Gondor after all these years. King Ellesar washed clean the statue of Isildur of the orcs’ foul defacements, and bestowed upon it a new crown. Alas, once it was a beautiful city, but the darkness has dwelled here too long, and no man would ever dare to dwell in a place of such terror, even should we be successful in our quest.

3036 TA: Now that Minas Ithil has fallen to us, King Elessar plans now to move north to the Black Gate and meet with the armies of Nirorn and King Theoden, who has promised to bring a great host of Rohirrim to our aid in repayment for our help against the forces of Saruman the Traitor. Meanwhile, Egalmoth will remain here in Minas Ithil and protect our rear. Egalmoth was upset at this decision, for he wished to go with us to fight at the Black Gate and perhaps slay another of the remaining Nazgûl. But Faramir convinced him that remaining here was of utmost importance to our plans, and Boromir reassured him, saying it was quite likely that one of the ring-wraiths would return to take back its city, which cheered Egalmoth greatly. I afterwards warned him, however, that despite his rage against the Black Riders he must not face the Witch-King of Angmar. Should they ever meet, it would surely be his doom. The elf-lord Glorfindel prophesied many years ago that no man may slay the the Witch-king. He laughed at me! He thanked me for the advice but said he put no stock in “elvish magics,” but the arms of men, and if he met the Witch-King then the Nazgûl would fall like all the others. He is a strong and fell man, one of the finest warriors in Gondor, but I fear his fury may become his doom.  
In less much significant news, the army that was in Duneard has taken a large city of the Dunlendings by the name of Byrig, which was one of the last strongholds of the wizard Saruman’s army. The so-called “Dominion of the White Hand” is now reduced to Isengard only.

3040 TA: We rode to the Morannon, the mighty Black Gate, accompanied by King Theoden and the men of the Riddermark. A great host it is for these days, but not half the size of an army in the days of Gondor’s might. There in front of the great teeth of Mordor, our heralds announced the presence of King Elessar, heir of Isildur and bearer of the Blade Reforged. The Black Gate opened, and out came a single rider. He was draped in sable with a tall helm in the likeness of a Nazgûl, but no ring-wraith was he. He was a man, a dark númenórean, and he called himself the Mouth of the Dark Lord, representative for the power within Barad-Dûr. He laughed at Elessar’s claim to kingship, and gave us these terms: the “rabble of Gondor” and our “deluded allies” would retreat back over the Anduin, swearing never again to take up arms against the Dark Lord. West of the Anduin unto the Gap of Rohan and the Misty Mountains would be tributary to Mordor, and the men there would bear no arms but should have leave to govern their own affairs. Should we accept his “generous offer”, we would be allowed to live.  
King Elessar rode forward and shouted, “Be gone, foul shadow of a man, or you shall not see another day!”  
“I am an ambassador, you cannot-” began the Mouth of the Dark Lord, but at a sign from the king, Lord Faramir transfixed the representative with an arrow through the throat. And so the battle began. The Black Gate swung back wide, and hundreds of orc-horns screamed. The Enemy’s trap was sprung.  
I stood behind the main line with the artillery crews, my sword at the ready should I have need of it. Though it came fearfully close, I never did. Orcs by the thousands poured through the gate and more came crashing down upon us from holes bored into the mountains. Our alliance was strong and many, but the orcs seemed endless. Several times the line nearly broke. After nearly five hours of fighting, the men were exhausted and beginning to waver, yet there was still no end in sight to the hated creatures. Then, aid came that I never in my wildest dreams expected: the Silvan Elves. Led by King Thranduil and Lady Galadriel, the combined armies of Lothlórien and the Woodland Realm made it to the battle just in time. The arrows of the elves cut down the orcs in droves, and any who made it to their lines fell by their fiery blades.  
Thus it was that the legions of orcs at the Morannon were at last destroyed, and the Black Gate lay open to us. An incredible victory, but likewise incredibly costly. Far too many valiant men lay strewn across the field, mingled with the bodies of orcs and elves. Foremost among the fallen, Prince Imrahil the Honorable, slain by the olog-hai. Alas, fair Imrahil and his shining Swan Knights all lay dead. A great and valiant man was he, with elven blood. Even in the darkest of times, the sight of Imrahil and his grey-eyed knights would bring new hope to men, inspiring them to fight on in the face of any enemy. Never will he return to Dor-en-Ernil, and the people of Dol Amroth will await their prince in vain. Should any of us survive to see the end of this, Imrahil’s son Arranel will be the new prince. 

3040 TA: We have made it into Udûn, the valley of Mordor beyond the Morannon, and I am almost beginning to regret coming here. The ground is rent open all around us, scattered with deep pits that spew forth sludge and a repulsive stench. Such conditions make slow going for an army, though we have so far met no resistance, which concerns me greatly. The Enemy must be gathering all his might to stop us in our tracks. But our Last Alliance of the Free Peoples pushes forward, and we will not stop until we reach Mount Doom or are all slain. As I now write, I can see Orodruin itself, spewing fire and ash, blocking the sun with billowing black clouds. And if I strain my eyes, I make out on the horizon a tower and a tongue of flame: Barad-Dûr and the Great Eye. There lies the Enemy himself, and no doubt a mighty host coming now to stop our advance.

3041 TA: A Elbereth Gilthoniel, silivren penna míriel, o menel aglar elenath! Praise be to Manwë and all the Valar! The War of the Ring is ended, and Sauron, the Great Deceiver, the Lord of the Rings, is destroyed at last! The greatest battle of the Third Age is done. Our Last Alliance made it to Mount Doom, Barad-Dûr well within sight, and there we found waiting the greatest hosts of Mordor and all of that remained of the Nine, including the Witch-King of Angmar. The Lord of the Nazgûl was a terrifying figure, in a long black cloak, dark mail, and a crown of iron upon an unseen head, as was the nature of the ring-wraiths (I can only speculate that this was due to the effects of their rings of power). Few men could withstand the fear that radiated from him, only the most courageous of elves remaining to fight. Brave as they were, the Witch-King and his dark Númenóreans cut them down.  
For many hours we battled on the slopes of Mount Doom. Aragorn, Boromir, Faramir, Theoden, Thranduil, and Galadriel all fought side by side for the fate of Middle-Earth. The fighting was fierce, and my sword was slick with orc blood by the end of it, even standing with the artillery as I was. At the fifth hour, we thought we had the battle until another horde of orcs fell upon us from behind, and our hearts were filled with dismay. Alone against this fresh and numerous foe, we should have surely fallen. Then, arising from the South, Egalmoth the Wrathful arrived with a grand army he had brought from Minas Ithil through the Mountains of Shadow, all shouting, “For the White Tree and the Seven Stars!” At the sight of him, Aragorn’s army cried out in joy, “Egalmoth! Egalmoth! Egalmoth, bane of Nazgûl!”  
Aragorn, Theoden, and Thranduil fought against three of the remaining Nazgûl and slew them, while Galadriel battled the Witch-King. Their duel was one of magic, and Galadriel threw the power of the ancient Noldor and her ring of power, Nenya, against the Black Captain and his own ring. Such a match of sorcery had not been seen since the First Age, and it was a sight magnificent and terrible to behold. In the end, the power of Galadriel proved the stronger, and the Witch-King fled from her might.  
Egalmoth marked the Witch-King from across the field as the Black Captain ran from Galadriel. Wisdom was clouded by rage for his son long-avenged, and he forgot the words I gave to him at Minas Ithil. Egalmoth and his battle-hardened knights rode hard after the Lord of the Nazgûl, and the brave defender of Gondor met him with fury like Oromë. Knights of Gondor and dark Númenóreans fought with the hatred that comes only between kin (for kin-slaying it was), until only Egalmoth, the Witch-King, and one of the knights still stood. Then the two captains dismounted and dueled and it brought to my mind the duel of Morgoth and Fingolfin before the gates of Angband. Lord Egalmoth was a match for any in Gondor, but the words of Glorfindel proved true, and no man could ever slay the Witch-King. Egalmoth fell, run through by the Nazgûl’s blade.  
As the Witch-king moved in to tear away his life, the last knight stepped between them. The man tore off his helmet, and lo! it was no man, but Lady Barathel, Egalmoth’s own wife! The Witch-King swung his great mace, but she dodged it smoothly and with a echoing shout drove her sword between cloak and iron crown where there was no face to be seen. The final screech of the Lord of the Nazgûl was more horrible than any I heard before, but it held no fear now. Lady Barathel did not glory in her unmatched feat, but knelt beside her beloved husband and held him as his life drained away. So ended Egalmoth the Wrathful, hero of Gondor, whose rage against the Nazgûl was his downfall.  
With the death-cries of the Ring-Wraiths, the armies of Sauron routed, and we were victorious. Aragorn Elessar ascended Orodruin with Lord Boromir, and did what Isildur could not. He cast the One Ring into the undying fires of the earth, destroying it and Sauron’s power forever. When the ring was destroyed, Orodruin erupted, spewing stone and bleeding fire. Aragorn and Boromir escaped unharmed, but neither will speak of what occurred there at the Crack of Doom. Barad-Dûr is fallen, its foundations shattered, and the Red Eye will see no more. Sauron can never return, and will remain as but a shadow of malice until the end of time. It is a victory to be compared only with the War of Wrath and the defeat of Morgoth, but the price for this victory was terrible. Imrahil, Egalmoth, Elfhelm and Erkenbrand of Rohan, and Haldir of Lothlorien, brave commanders all, gave their lives. No army of our Last Alliance is now more than half of its original strength; of King Elessar’s great army scarce a third remains, only three thousand of the ten thousand that marched with us to Minas Morgul survived. Nearly fifteen thousand men of Gondor and Rohan fell before the One Ring was destroyed, as well as thousands of elves that should have lived happily for many years more. But we will remember them always, for by their deaths they have brought the hope of peace to Middle-Earth.

OOC: This battle is my favorite thing I've ever written, and stylistically probably the best. It took an immense amount of editing, a lot of planning, and time. Of course, this battle in particular didn't actually happen. Here and at the Black Gate, there were no riders of Rohan or silvan elves. But there were two massive, very climactic and extremely close battles right next to Mount Doom that decided the fate of my invasion. Egalmoth actually fought the Witch-King one on one, and it was my full intention to have Egalmoth die even though I loved him so. By some miracle, he actually beat the Witch-King, though his unit didn't strike the death-blow. So I decided to have him go out in the ultimate blaze of glory: I had him attack Barad-Dûr alone. Since it was just him and his bodyguard, the huge garrison came out to kill him. His unit was so experienced, they killed like 70 orcs right off the bat and continued to murder even more. Eventually, the whole bodyguard was dead except Egalmoth himself. He was completely surrounded, but the tough old bastard wouldn't go down. He just kept murdering orcs. He even single handedly took down an olog-hai, the strongest trolls in the game. R.I.P. Egalmoth. I've never been so attached to a character in a video game and he was hardly even a character.

1 FA: We arrived at Minas Tirith to great cheering, but also great lamination for the men who would never return home to the shining walls. I have so far been asked to tell what occurred at least a dozen times. As soon as we returned, a great festival began, and it has yet to end three days later. This is the first time I have actually had time to write since we made it back to the city.  
Lord Boromir bestowed upon Elessar the ancient crown of the Kings of Gondor, and that same day Lady Arwen, daughter of Elrond, came to the city and was married to the king. Her beauty is like that of Lúthien, and she matches even the fair lady Galadriel. King Elessar has renamed the city to Minas Anor, the Tower of the Setting Sun, as it was in the days of old before the fall of Minas Ithil and Osgiliath, and declared that the Fourth Age has begun. In addition, he has commanded that Osgiliath be rebuilt. From there he will rule, while Boromir will govern Minas Anor and Faramir will resettle Ithilien. King Ellesar commanded that Minas Ithil be leveled for the dread that remained there still, but perhaps some day we may build a bright new city there where Isildur once built his. So ends the Third Age of Middle-Earth, and so begin the days of the King. But our work is not yet done. There is still Saruman, though he now holds naught but Isengard itself and his master is defeated. King Elessar also wishes to send men North to defeat the Orcs of Gundabad and Angmar and restore the lost kingdom of Arnor. Perhaps we may even aid the dwarves in retaking Moria. And of course, there are still the Haradrim to deal with. And I will be here to record it all. But for right now, I think I will take a well-deserved rest. 

2 FA: The past year has been mostly uneventful, which I do not mind after more than sixty years of unending war and strife. In Mordor, the last of the surviving orcs are being hunted down, and most of the old places of the orcs have been given over to the people who dwelled there before the return of Sauron or were else enslaved there. We have placed watches at the Black Gate, Cirith Ungol, and a small town near the sea of Nurnen to prevent any orcs from attempting to reestablish themselves, but otherwise have no forces within Mordor. Osgiliath is being rebuilt, Faramir begun building a city around Henneth-Annûn called Ost-Annûn, and all is well in Gondor.

FA 3: King Elessar and Queen Arwen have had a beautiful son by the name of Eldarion. With such parents, it is inevitable that he will be one of the finest kings Middle-Earth has ever known. And only a week later, King Elessar discovered upon the pathways in the mountain behind the palace of Minas Anor, a sapling. No ordinary sapling is this, it is the last remaining descendant of Telperion, elder of the two Trees of Valinor. The withered tree that has stood so long at the city’s peak was burned in honor and the sapling planted in its place. Truly Gondor is blessed to see such glory and beauty again after such darkness.

FA 4: Since Sauron was destroyed four years ago, the realm of Gondor has known peace for the first time in thousands of years. The only fighting has been small skirmishes in Mordor where our men hunted down the surviving orcs, who are now almost entirely destroyed. We have taken this time to celebrate our victory and rebuild from the carnage of the War of the Ring. It has been good these past few years, but the epic war machine of Gondor moves into action once again.  
Hisaelven, grandson of the famed Lord Anborn, has been chosen to lead an army an army north to finally defeat Saruman and the aid the people of Eriador against the orcs of the North. He is a very promising commander, so I’ve heard, and I look to hearing how he performs on the field. Tathar, the grandson of Egalmoth, has been placed in command of a second army and marches south to Harad. He also is a promising young leader. A third army under the command of Lord Arahad, the son of General Naeron, is building in Pelargir to sail south and attack Harad from the west.

FA 4: The campaign of Hisaelven has had an unbelievable beginning. They marched to Isengard, and were joined by the riders of the Mark, but upon reaching Nan Curunir, they found the walls around the tower annihilated and Isengard flooded. The source of this destruction was, to the astonishment of all, ents! I had always hoped but never known that the stories of the tree-shepherds were true.  
Hisaelven met with the leader of the ents, the eldest of them all, who called himself Treebeard. According to Treebeard, as Saruman’s hunger for power grew, so did his need for fuel for his fires. Thus, Saruman began to cut down the ancient forest of Fangorn. In Fangorn dwelled many ents, and eventually they refused to accept any more of the white wizards’s wanton tree-killing. So the ents marched to Isengard, where they tore down the walls, broke the dam holding back the river Isen and slew all the orcs. I can hardly believe such a thing to be true, but I will accept it as the truth gladly. What I would not give to speak to this Treebeard myself, and learn some of his ancient wisdom. Saruman seems to have disappeared, so it seems his reign is at an end. No more will he or his fierce Uruk-Hai trouble the people of Rohan and Eriador.  
To the south, Tathar has met stiff resistance from the Southrons. He was met by several armies of Haradrim, and managed to defeat them while keeping his army mostly intact. While this is certainly good, his campaign is truly more of a diversion. While he distracts the Southrons in the north of their realm, Lord Arahad sails on a mighty fleet with a powerful army in hopes to move in unseen and take the capital of Harad. It is a risky maneuver, taking him deep into enemy territory with no outside support, but if it is successful it could bring the southern campaign very quickly to an end.

FA 5: Lord Arahad’s plan was successful. The fleet sailed up the river Harnen, taking Arahad and his army as close to Gobel Ancalimon as they could get, taking them unawares. A great army of Southrons was gathered about the city, including the mighty Mûmakil. There Lord Arahad led the men of Gondor in the first great battle of the Fourth Age. The Haradrim fought bitterly, and many fell to the terrible Mûmakil until Lord Duinhir and his archers from the Blackroot Vale daringly moved close to the beasts and shot them in the eyes. Many archers were trampled, but the beasts were all slain. The Southrons were driven from the field and retreated to the city, where Lord Arahad laid siege for three days before assaulting the walls and finally taking Gobel Ancalimon for the glory of Gondor. The forces of the Haradrim in Southern Gondor are now scattered and confused, cut off from the rest of Harad.  
Tathar’s army has been fairing well. He retook Tir Ethraid, a small city on the southern edge of Ithilien that was lost to us many years ago. His army has sustained losses however, and he requires reinforcements before he pushes onward.

FA 6: There has been much fighting in the south. Lord Arahad has successfully defended Gobel Ancalimon several times, and Tathar captured Tir Ethraid, a city in Southern Ithilien lost to us even before I became the head scribe of Minas Tirith. Meanwhile, a small force of Gondorians took the Southron city Has Yayb, an important port city on the River Harnen. Hopefully, the Southrons’ efforts to retake their lost capital will divert forces from further south, as Prince Arranel of Dol Amroth sails south on a mighty fleet with an army of Swan Knights to finally put an end to the corsairs of Umbar. 

FA 6: On his march northward, Hisaelven met Elladan and Elrohir, twin sons of Elrond. Hearing word of Hisaelven's approach, the brothers had come south with a force of several hundred elves to meet him. They requested his aid in retaking Ost-in-Edhil, once the capital of Eregion. It was there the rings of power had been forged by the smiths of the Noldor, until Sauron destroyed it and slew Celebrimbor. For centuries, the ruins of that once great city have lain in the hands of goblins from nearby Moria, but with the help of Gondor the goblins there have been slaughtered, and Ost-in-Edhil is returned to the Noldor. Perhaps soon we may even drive back the orcs all the way into the mountains, and restore the greatest city ever built, Khazad-dûm. If the dwarves were to reclaim the Halls of Durin, precious mithril could once again flow from its depthless mines.

FA 6: Hisaelven is doing well in the north. He has been working closely with the northern Dúnedain to push back the orcs of Gundabad and Angmar, driving out goblins from the Shire, land of the halflings, to Amon Sûl, the hill-fortress built by Elendil. Currently, he and Halbarad, a ranger of the northern Dúnedain and an old friend of the King, march with their armies to reclaim Annúminas, the city of the Kings. Should Annúminas be rebuilt, the long-lost realm of Arnor could rise again, restoring the old bonds of north and south.

FA 6: Prince Arranel of Dol Amroth and his Swan Knights have succeeded, and the Haven of Umbar is finally under the control of Gondor. The Corsairs had known of Prince Arranel’s approach, and had gathered a powerful fleet to repel him. The Corsairs of Umbar were fierce and strong, with ships swift and numerous, but after possibly the largest naval battle in history the ships of the corsairs were sent into the depths. Taking to the land, the men of Dol-Amroth and Pelargir drove straight into the heart of the city, where they took the palace and slew the masters of Umbar. With this victory, the raids of the Corsairs are finally ended, and the coasts of Gondor can rest easy.

FA 6: A young commander by the name of Hallas has captured a large city in Harandor called Amon Eithil. There now remains only one major city in the disputed region of Southern Gondor that is still controlled by the Southrons. Tathar makes his way there now, his army back to full strength. Should he take the city, the old borders of Gondor in the days of the kings will be restored.

FA 7: The conquest of Southern Gondor is done. Tathar has successfully conquered the city Harandor, the final piece of Southern Gondor. For his actions, he has been named a full captain of Gondor. Now, with our borders to the south solidified, perhaps we can negotiate peace with the Haradrim. Sauron is destroyed, so they now fight us only out of bitterness rather than compulsion. But even they must grow weary of war, as we have, and might wish to bring this conflict to an end. Thus, King Aragorn Elessar himself moves south with an small escort of Fountain Guards and Swan Knights to meet with the Chieftain of the Haradrim and ask for peace. All Gondor prays for his safe return and successful mission.

FA 7: Hisaelven, too, has earned his place as a captain of Gondor. He and the northern Dúnedain rode to Annúminas and to their surprise found it nearly empty. They slew the few orcs there with ease, but then a great many more came from the surrounding hills. Perhaps they were returning from some raid, or else it was a trap. Either way, Hisaelven and his men managed to hold the ruined city against the goblin hordes, and reclaimed the fallen capital of Arnor.

FA 7: It is a great day for both Gondor and Harad. King Aragorn Elessar met with the Chieftain of the Southrons at Gobel Ancalimon and opened negotiations. Three days ago, they signed a peace treaty, hopefully putting an end to the conflict of our two peoples once and for all. In exchange for peace, we returned to the Southrons their capital city, Gobel Ancalimon, as well as the island city Erelond. However, we retain Umbar and the lands of Harandor. These lands will be under the rule of the King while the rest of Harad will remain free. The roads between our nations have been opened to trade, and for the first time in living memory, exotic goods from the far south flow into the ports of Gondor. When the men of Pelargir or Dol Amroth see Southron ships, they need no longer prepare themselves for battle, but for bartering. This is an occasion truly worth celebrating. 

FA 8: A few days ago, to the surprise of all in Minas Anor, there arrived an emissary from the Easterlings of Rhûn, representing the Loke-Khan himself. It seems that the Loke-Khan learned of our peace treaty with the Haradrim. The conflict between our two peoples during the War of the Ring was limited, and before Sauron’s first call of invasion against the White City in 3A 2994 we even had trade with them. So, their ambassador came to Minas Anor and requested to King Elessar that our nations might have an official peace. King Elessar granted his request, and Gondor and Rhûn are no longer enemies. Only time will tell if this peace will last, but it seems that with Sauron destroyed, the Easterlings truly want an end to the bloodshed. In addition, trade has been reopened, which is excellent news for the merchants of Gondor, who can make hefty profits off of eastern goods.

FA 8: At the behest of the northern Dúnedain, Hisaelven aided in the conquest of Hoarwell, the small fort where the few men of Gondor once accidentally slew the high chieftain of the goblins of the Misty Mountains. During the siege, Hisaelven discovered that the current high chieftain was in the fort. Excited by this news, he assaulted it, slaying the high chieftain and all the goblins. Likely the goblins now gnash their teeth and cover their ears at the mention of that place. 

FA 9: For the last year, Gondor has known peace. In the north, there has been only small skirmishes, and in Gondor itself there has been no battle whatsoever. Our cities grow, trade makes us rich, and the White Tree at the peak of Minas Anor shines with a silver light, casting blessings upon our land. No better days has Gondor seen in its entire history.

FA 9: Fantastic news was brought to Minas Anor this day. Thanks to our efforts in the north, the Free Peoples of Eriador have united under one banner: the black and silver of Arnor. Yes, the lost lost kingdom of the north has been reestablished, and the House of Kings rebuilt in Annúminas. Gondor and Arnor are once again bound together in the Kingdom Reunited under King Aragorn Elessar. For the first time in millennia, north and south have truly been brought together once again.  
King Elessar now prepares to ride to Arnor, taking with him a mighty host of the finest men in Gondor. Together with the restored kingdom of Arnor, he will drive the orcs back into their deepest holes in the mountains. 

FA 10: It has been a full decade since the magnificent triumph of our great Last Alliance, ten whole years since Sauron was finally destroyed. The Days of the King are more beautiful and glorious than I ever could have imagined. A new White Tree in Minas Anor, peace with ancient enemies, and the restoration of Arnor. Now, reconstruction has been completed the eastern half of Osgiliath, and the the western half is nearly done. Osgiliath rebuilt! That will be a sight to see. As grand as it will be, especially once King Elessar returns, if he will allow it then I will stay here in Minas Anor. The White City has been my home all my long life, and I have been with this city through all the trials and tribulations of the past seven decades. 

FA 10: The two greatest strongholds of the orcs of Gundabad have been taken. The dwarves took Gundabad itself, recovering the sacred mountain where Durin awoke, and King Elessar with the men of Arnor assaulted and capture Carn Dûm, the great dark citadel in the heart of Angmar, from whence the Witch-King once ruled. These two places are now cleansed of evil and darkness, and the strength of the orcs continues to dwindle. 

FA 11: The rebuilding of Osgiliath is finally complete! The walls rise high above the plains, the great bridge stretches across the Anduin, and the splendid Dome of Stars stands over the city. King Elessar sends word that he will come back soon, but there is one last thing he must take care of.  
Through the combined efforts of King Elessar, Arnor, the dwarves, and the high elves, the orcs of Angmar have been totally annihilated, and most of the Misty Mountains have been scourged clean of goblins. All of their strongholds and deep places have been raided and the orcs slaughtered. There now remains but one great stronghold of evil in Middle-Earth: the Mines of Moria. King Elessar marches there with his grand army and an alliance of dwarves led by King Dain and high elves led by Elladan to crush the goblins once and for all. The time for orcs in Middle-Earth is drawing to a close; soon they will be destroyed, hopefully never to return. 

FA 11: The hosts of the north are victorious, and Khazad-dûm is returned to the dwarves. The mighty alliance passed through the gates, and all seemed empty. Then goblins in the tens of thousands poured forth, screaming and howling. Many a goblin met its end at the bright blade Andúril in King Elessar’s hand, and thousands of others were cut down by the axes of the dwarves or the swords of the elves, but the hordes of goblins seemed infinite.  
Then, from the deepest darkness of Moria, there came a great and terrible being of shadow and flame: Durin’s Bane, a Balrog of Morgoth. It was a towering creature, with huge horns and spreading wings, bearing in one hand a whip like a tongue of fire and in the other a burning sword. Its horrible presence spurred on the goblins, who came on more ferociously and in ever greater numbers. Dozens of brave warriors fell to the Balrog, and it seemed that none could withstand its might. But then came forth the leader of the high elves, Glorfindel, the very elf-lord who prophesied that the Witch-King of Angmar would not die by the hand of a man. He was among the first born of the Noldor, and had battled the forces of Morgoth at the fall of Gondolin. There Glorfindel slew a Balrog whilst protecting those fleeing the city’s destruction, though according to the tales he himself fell in that battle.  
For what I hope was the final time, two warriors of Beleriand met with terrible fury. The Balrog held great power, but against the strength of Glorfindel it was no match. Glorfindel hewed its neck, vanquishing it and in effect winning the battle. With the death of the Balrog, the goblins routed, but there was no flight for them. They were cut down as they ran and the dwarves pursued them into the deep places, putting an end to the last great orc stronghold and reclaiming Khazad-Dûm from the darkness that long had hold of it.

FA 12: King Elessar has returned to enormous celebration throughout all of Gondor. All of Middle-Earth is now truly at peace. The orcs are destroyed, Arnor is restored, and the Halls of Durin lie once again with the dwarves. So many have sacrificed their lives for this, and to them all the Free Peoples will be eternally grateful. Middle-Earth has entered a golden age, the likes of which has never before been seen. The West has triumphed, and darkness has failed. I will not dare to say that evil is ended, or that darkness can never return, but they have been driven far back, and it will be long ere they return to challenge the light. 

FA 13: I have always tried to keep my personal life out of these records, but as this will be my final entry, I see no reason why I should now. My daughter gave birth to her first child today, a girl. It is not my first grandchild, my sons had children of their own some years ago. But every time, as it was when my children were born, I am always amazed by this new life. This child may never know war in her whole lifetime. My own life has been utterly consumed by it. My children were raised in times of war, and all three of my sons fought against the armies of Mordor, all the way to Mount Doom itself. In that final battle I even fought alongside them, and only by standing together did we all survive that day, that whole terrible conflict.  
I have made few records in this chronicle that are not about war or battle, and now I am not sure that there are any left to make. I will not miss it, with its deceptive glory and blood-stained honor. War certainly gave me plenty to record, but there was never a day that I wished that some day this would end. Now, it has. The world has entered a grand new era, but I am grown old. So much beauty now in the world, and I have seen little outside Gondor.  
There is a bright young scholar from the university that I have taken as an apprentice. He was younger still when Sauron fell, and more than half of his life he has lived under a king. It seems so strange to me. But there is no doubt to his intelligence, and I wish to see the beauty of this brave new world which we live in. So, tomorrow I will go to Lord Boromir and give him my resignation. My apprentice will take my place as Head Scribe, and I will leave Gondor for a time, so that I might see what Middle-Earth has become. My children and theirs have insisted on going with me, and I can see little reason not to take them. I will certainly return, for I deeply love this city, though I will be away for some time. This position was a great blessing, and I have been grateful for it all of my days. I pass the quill to a younger generation; it is their world now, I will let them write of it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Any feedback you can leave is greatly appreciated.


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